Carlsbad City Manager Scott Chadwick will leave his position after seven years with the City of Carlsbad to join the Port of San Diego as its next President and Chief Executive Officer.
“It has been an honor to serve the City of Carlsbad these past seven years. I am so proud of this organization and what we have been able to accomplish,” said Chadwick. “As I continue my own career in public service, I know I leave the city in very good hands, from the crews who start their days before sunrise to our tenured professional staff and department leaders.
Chadwick joined the City of Carlsbad in January 2018 from the City of San Diego, where he spent five years as the Chief Operating Officer. In this role, he managed the day-to-day operations for California’s second largest city, eighth largest in the nation, with 1.4 million residents, 11,000 employees and annual operating budget of over $3 billion. He began his career at the City of San Diego in human resources after serving in the United States Army.
“Scott provided steady, professional leadership when our organization needed it most, and, as a result, we’re a safer, more efficient city,” said City of Carlsbad Mayor Keith Blackburn. “We are sorry to see him go, but when one of the biggest public agencies in the region taps Carlsbad’s City Manager, you know we’re doing something right. We wish him the very best.”
The City of Carlsbad follows a Council-Manager form of government, where the City Council provides policy direction, and a professional manager leads the day-to-day operations of the city. The City Manager and City Attorney are the only two positions appointed directly by the City Council.
During Chadwick’s time as City Manager, Carlsbad closed its structural deficit, built a new fire station, opened a new park and started work on two more, expanded the city’s affordable housing program and was named one of the nation’s a top 10 digital cities. Carlsbad also saw many firsts during this time: the city’s first long-term strategic plan, the city’s first open records portal, the city’s first high-speed fiber network and region’s first community choice energy JPA.
Carlsbad was also the first in the region to adopt its own e-bike safety law. The city later mobilized traffic enforcement officers, transportation engineers and community outreach resources to achieve a 13% year over year decrease in industry collisions overall and a 20% decrease in collisions involving e-bikes.
“I am proud of what Carlsbad has accomplished and especially want to thank the City Council, past and present, for their strong commitment to developing thoughtful policies, focused on good government, fiscal responsibility and long-term sustainability. This foundation will serve the city well long into the future,” said Chadwick.
The City Council will meet in closed session to develop interim and long-term plans for filling the City Manager position. A date for that meeting will be set in the coming days. Chadwick’s last day is scheduled for Jan. 5, 2025.